Accepting Change: Kairi's Story
by Queen Vissy
Summary: This was a multi-genre paper I did for school. Please R&R I'f you get around to it!
1. Intro

To the reader,

This paper really took a lot out of me so you better enjoy it! This is a multi-genre paper written for _"Memoirs of a Geisha" _by Arthur Golden. The novel is about a girl who learns of a life's hardship while studying to be geisha. The girl, Chiyo, despises most of the changes that occur in her life because they cause much pain. This resounding hatred was what inspired me to write all the pieces. To connect with the novel, I did things a little differently from my classmates. I want-no need- to explain why Chiyo felt this way. So this is our story: Chiyo, Kairi's, and mine.

The theme about changes in life really stuck with me. So I wrote this paper from my own character's point of view. Kairi is forced into a situation eerily similar to Chiyo. She is what fanfiction writers would call a "Mary-Sue," meaning that she represents my thoughts, emotions, and actions when placed in her situation. Ironically, Golden does something similar in this novel but that wasn't what caused me to write this way. I chose Kairi Cadres as a persona because using her seemed to be the easiest way to get across Golden's, Kairi's, Chiyo's, and my similar feelings. Please do not over analyze my paper because that is not the purpose of it. I wrote this paper because it was required. Honestly though, it was a fun process. It isn't very often an English class spends five weeks doing research, reading, watching movies, and writing all for the sake of one paper. Please enjoy!

Sincerely,

The Writer


	2. Summary of Book

There once was a little girl, Chiyo was her name

She lived with her family, but always was in shame

Her family was real poor, they had no money

Then her momma started dying, the days aren't sunny

Her daddy sent her away to a Geisha School

With all this change in her life, it wasn't very cool

She had to leave her sister, it also wasn't fun

Very unhappy, Chiyo tried to run

She didn't escape, but just for trying

Chiyo can't be geisha, and now she's crying

While weeping one day, a change comes along

A man convinces her to try to belong

Now this man was awesome, he really knew his stuff

And Chiyo falls in love. Am I feeling fluff?

So she tries to be good, and with the help of a friend

She can start training, she's not at her end!

Later she meets a man, and he is very kind

But he's not the one who's always on her mind

Chiyo becomes a full geisha, again some change occurs

Her new name is Sayuri, and she can choose a man that she prefers

As can be expected, things come to a head

A war starts and everyone sees red

Finally the war ends, and American's win

Did I mention Sayuri has on a grin?

She quits being Geisha cause' she has her man

Happily married, they're tired of Japan

To a new destination they decide to go

In America they watch a baby grow

That is the story, as you can plainly see

Sayuri ends up happy as can fully be


	3. Kairi Stream of Conciousness

_Oh my god, this is so horrible! It's ruining my life. I miss my mom and dad so bad. Why did they have to leave me here with my stupid grandparents? That dumb drunk driver deserves to DIE, not my mum and dad. He was the one who ran the red light and wasn't paying attention. My parents could still be here without him and I wouldn't have to change my whole life to please Grandfather._

_How can he ask this of me? I don't want my life to change. I want to stay in my school and with my friends. Damn, I need help. Someone who's from America who knows a lot about Japan and geishas would work. Hey, didn't Mr. Anderson mention some guy who wrote a book about Japan? I could send him a letter. I really need someone who can explain my new stupid "home country." _

_I've never even been to Japan, how am I gonna live there? What if they're all cannibals or something! Ack, they probably eat gross food. This change is going to ruin my life! Okay, focus girl! I need a plan, but first… more info. Imma write a letter to that Golden dude and maybe he can explain a little better. I can do this! Now where's that stupid book…? Oh, here it is. Arthur Golden is his name, eh? Hmm… let's see. _

"I felt ridiculous..." _Join the club sister! _"…pretending to be absorbed by something so trivial; but no one who saw us..." (Golden 204)_ Urgh, this girl is so vain! All I see in this book is ME, ME, ME. Did she ever think that there may be others out there who need help? And what's up with the faking? She keeps going on about HERSELF! … Wow, I'm kind of being a jerk. I should probably be nicer. Maybe all this talking about herself is just a geisha thing? I don't know… I'll have to read the rest of this guy's book._

_Having the book from, uh, Chiyo's point of view will probably give me a huge advantage to finding out more about Geisha and Japan, too. I bet she goes on and on about her feelings and thoughts! Thank you so much Golden! This is gonna help me with a lot! To hear things from a geisha's own mind will give me insight on how they actually THINK and not just how they ACT. Okay, so I have to finish a letter to Golden and then read the whole book. Maybe I should take notes?_


	4. Letter to Golden

783 Ids Tress Lane

New York, NY, 17310

March 16th, 2000

Dear Mr. Golden,

HELP! My name is Kairi Cadres and I am writing this letter in accordance to your National Bestselling novel "Memoirs of a Geisha." As I am sure you are quite busy I will get to the point. Unfortunately, both of my biological parents were recently killed in a car accident and my grandparents wanted nothing to do with me... until now. With my parents out of the way, my grandfather has decided that I will carry on the family legacy of the "proud and prestigious geisha." I hope you understand that there is great change coming about in my life and I sorely need your help! I was born and raised in New York City. How am I supposed to know how to do any of that fancy stuff?

My grandparents are sending for me in only one year. I'm supposed to begin my training in an Okiya. What the heck is that? Grandfather also mentioned extensive schooling and then yelled at me when I asked what it was about! Anyway, I don't want to be a geisha. Aren't they all prostitutes? I'm 14 years old; I'm only just starting to like guys! This is going to ruin my life!

Heh, sorry about that. I'm a little emotional. Can you write back any extra notes you have from writing the book? Your Wikipedia page says that you met a real geisha. Did she seem horrible? Please, please, please help me out here! I don't understand a lot of Japanese tradition, though I am able to read and understand the language. I have a year to prepare for this huge change in my life and hopefully, you can help me out.

Please send any information you have about Geisha or Japan to me as soon as possible!

Desperately awaiting your response,

Kairi Cadres


	5. Newspaper Article

A look into a proud, but declining profession

By Nancy Syno

Becoming geisha is not as easy as it looks. As a matter of fact, it's pretty hard. A common misconception about geisha, more commonly in the west, is that they are all prostitutes. This is entirely untrue! To understand a geisha, you must first understand what a geisha does.

To begin, the definition of geisha is: a traditional professional hostess in Japan. The word 'geisha' literally translates into 'artistic or accomplished person.' Historically, the first geisha were men. When women became involved was around renaissance times when daughters of hostesses or daughters of poor peasants were bonded or sold into a geisha house. Geisha have changed much since these times. More recently, Geisha are hired at high fees to attend all-male gatherings where they display their skills. The goal of a geisha is to meet a wealthy man, such as a political figure or merchant, who can set them up as their mistress or marry them. Geisha still exist today, but the profession has declined greatly since WWII. (Layton par 1-3)

These days, women choose to become geisha instead of being forced. These women undergo serious and rigorous training. It takes a dedicated woman to complete the training. Trainees start their studying usually in high school. They study a variety of arts including dance, music, tea ceremony, and hostessing. A geisha may specialize in one art but must absolutely be proficient in all of them. The instruments geisha learn include shamisen (guitar), shimedaiko(drum), and a fue(flute.) Not only does she learn these instruments, but she also learns to sing alongside them. Geisha only go to a school dedicated to geisha arts, but that is not all that they learn. Alongside of these specialties, trainees learn all of the basic schooling as well. (Hyman par 1)

So do you think you have what it takes? Most people would reply to that question with a final and resounding "NO!" and to be honest, they are probably right. But for you 8% who said "yes", remember: Geisha are proud and honored parts of many societies in the world and it is a rewarding profession. (Miller par 1)


	6. Omegle Chat

**You're chatting with a random stranger on Omegle. You're discussion question is: What is your favorite book/movie combination?**

**You: ****Hey sup? **

**Stranger: ****nm just chillen. U?**

**You: ****same. so what dyou think of the question? **

**Stranger: ****idk. i don't read alot. hbu? **

**You:**** well, i recently read "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden. I 3 the book! It was hackin amazing! the movie was pretty good 2.**

**Stranger: ****really? i thought the book was pretty long so i figured the movie would kinda suck. **

**You: ****yeah the book is like 450 pages so it took me awhile to read but im moving to japan soon so I wanted some easy reading material that was interesting too. Surprisingly the movie was pretty awesome.**

**Stranger: ****Whoa, ur movin to japan? thats legit! y do u like the movie so much? was it just cause of the story, or what?**

**You:**** well, the story was pretty awesome, but i liked the book b/c golden (writer) really knew his stuff. It also had a lot of romance. The love triangle between Sayuri, Nobu, and the Chairman was so sad. The book had loads of info disguised in a story. I've learned so much about japan already. It sounds like a beautiful place**

**Stranger: ****Wow, it sounds good. I might have 2 read it now. Did the film do the movie justice? I heard that a Chinese woman played the main character. Could you tell?**

**You:**** the movie was done pretty well. I mean, as well as possible considering the huge book. Yah, the woman who played the main character was Chinese but it didn't make much of a dif. I think she did the part well. Since the book had so much description about kimonos and the landscape, it was great to see it for real. Of course, they had to cut out different parts but I think it was pretty good overall. Nothing was really different than the book. The director followed the storyline well.**

**Stranger:**** awesome! So would you recommend the movie? Did it have corny music and really bad lighting? I hate that!**

**You: ****I would def recommend the movie but u should prob read the book first just so you get a better understanding of the movie. In the film there were a lot of dark low key lighting scenes but they were mainly in the very beginning. As well as some diegetic music heard at that part too to set the scene. My favorite part of the movie was the many long shots of the beautiful landscape.**

**Stranger: ****lol, well I HAVE to read the book and watch the movie now. Japan would be pretty to see. Listen I gtg. It was awesome talking to you. Good luck in Japan.**

**You:**** thanks, read the book ASAP**

**Your partner has left. Continue? **


	7. 2Voice Poem

Nobu

_Love_

is the worst

_feeling a man can endure._

_She makes me_

smile.

_Sayuri has_

wonderful eyes.

_She belongs with me._

I did so much for him.

He _stole her from_ me.

_When we met_

I was a little distracted.

_I loved her,_

after awhile.

_Physically, I am_

scarred and ugly.

_She is beautiful._

But she loved him.

_I don't deserve this._

I thought

_she was different._

_But she changed her mind._

_She loves_

him.

_Why?_

Chairman

_Love_

is the most amazing

_feeling a man can endure._

_She makes me_

happy.

_Sayuri has_

a beautiful smile.

_She belongs with me._

But I owed him so much.

I _stole her from_ him.

_When we met_

I was instantly attracted.

_I loved her,_

then and there.

_Physically, I am_

old and graying.

_She is beautiful._

And she loves me.

_I don't deserve this_.

I knew

_she was different._

_But she changed her mind._

_She loves_

me.

_Why?_


	8. Letter From Golden

Ms. Cadres,

I've sent all my notes from, well, everything. You now have copies of all my files, clippings, books, and notes. One thing that I think you should definitely change as soon as possible is your mannerisms. Work your way up to the hard stuff. Maybe you should probably start with the tea ceremony practice because it will take the longest. A tea ceremony is a choreographed ritual of preparing and serving a bitter tea called Matcha. Because the tea is so bitter, candies are usually served as well. This ceremony is NOT about the tea. It is about good manners and honor. Learning this should teach you the basics all Japanese believe in: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. (Miller par 2) You can practice with anything. Drape a scarf over your arm and work on keeping it out of the food and tea. I wish you the best of luck and if you have any questions please e-mail, call, or write me. Good luck on your research and keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Arthur Golden


	9. Stream of Conciousness 2

_Okay, so these notes should help me out a bit. Now that I've actually read the book, Sayuri doesn't seem so bad. She sure had a hard life. I still can't believe she chose the Chairman over Nobu, though. Even though Nobu was disfigured, he was kinder to Sayuri than the Chairman. Love works in weird ways though I guess. Nobu was kind of hard to get along with, I suppose. They both cared for Sayuri so much, but for different reasons though. The Chairman loved Sayuri before she was geisha so he kind of knew the 'real her' and Nobu just knew her geisha guise. Hehe, that has the potential to be a tongue twister. Meh, I wonder when Golden will write back…_

_I'm so glad Golden wrote back. All that info is really helping me out. Now I get why he kept mentioning how much water was in Sayuri's eyes. It's a religious thing! Water is one of the five elements that represent adaptability. (Miller par. 3) It really fit poor Sayuri considering she had to keep changing her life to please others. She's kinda like me I guess. After learning the ropes, geisha life didn't seem that tough. Maybe they won't be so bad. Plus, I googled Japanese eating habits, and they aren't cannibals! I'm going to do my best to make mum and dad proud. Maybe, I'll even find my true love like Sayuri… Oh, grandpa's here to pick me up. Maybe I'll impress him with all I've learned! Japan and Geisha School here I come! _


	10. What Happened?

Kairimi "Keiko" Kanji nee Cadres

September 1995 - December 2043

Resident of Inuyama Japan

After a successful life as Japan's most famous geisha, Kairimi passed away in her home in Inuyama. Kairimi was born in New York USA and raised in Iwikura Japan and graduated from Nisshin Okiya. She held many fine arts credentials and was a well-know geisha here in Inuyama and many other places in the world.

She was an only child born to the late Akiyo and Youko Cadres and was the beloved wife of Sora Kanji for over 30 years. Keiko will forever be remembered by her devoted friends Yuzuki and Riku, beloved child Roxas, and loving grandchildren Shizuko and Shinsen along with countless other friends and family whom were blessed to know her. Keiko loved playing the fue, dancing alongside a shamisen, and reading western fiction. As a successful geisha, Keiko has entertained many including Emperor Shinto-san of China and President Victoria Terrio of the United States.

Keiko touched the lives of many people with her smile and generosity, and maintained her trademark dramatics till the end. Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service on Tuesday, December 19th, 2049, at 10am at the Nisshin Okiya. Her family requests all donations are sent to the wonderful people who helped Keiko become one of the most successful geisha in history at The Golden Association located in Isamu Japan. May her wise saying "Life only gets better by change" never be forgotten.


	11. End

Endnotes

**Stream of Consciousness**

I decided to write a stream of consciousness right off the back for a few reasons. First, it seemed to be a great way to introduce Kairi (the persona) and show how desperate she is. Another reason I made this particularly long stream of consciousness was because I kind of forgot to add a genre for a point of view analysis in my outline so I thought I'd add it here. Finally, I wrote this stream of conscious because it was fun. Yeah, it was frustrating to come up with Kairi's story, but it was a great way to set up the feel of my whole paper. This was the piece that started it all, my first page in this seemingly endless paper. Kairi's last name, Cadres, is an anagram for scared because at this point, she's desperate for any help and she's all alone. I hope I showed through this page how strong willed and smart Kairi is.

**Traits of a Geisha Notes**

The main reason I wrote this genre was to analyze the main characteristics of Sayuri, sort of like Ms. Moore's famous double-entry notes. I wanted to give reasons and proof of how I came up with these main traits. It also demonstrates how much work Kairi is putting into all her research. The name meanings came from a website made by Mike Campbell. It was on the list of "Japanese Names and Meanings" on the site "Behind the Name."

**Two-Voice Poem**

This genre was by far, the hardest piece I did. It's not that there wasn't anything to write about, oh no. It's the fact that there was so much to write about! But with this piece I compelled myself to keep it short and simple. I wrote just about the two men's emotional feelings toward Sayuri. I also felt the need to explain Nobu-san, the Chairman, and Sayuri's complicated love triangle in raw, true terms. Golden never really explains much of Nobu's reaction and feelings toward Sayuri so this is my interpretation.

**Newspaper Article**

I felt the need to add this piece to my paper because I sought after a way to show off all the information I dug up about Geisha. I really wanted to explain the traditional geisha and also geisha today with hard facts. The biggest complication I faced toward this piece was where to place it throughout the paper. It was such a tough decision that I actually just closed my eyes and shuffled the papers. It ended up behind the letter from Golden so that's where it stayed. I'm still not sure if I like where I placed it and I probably never will. On a more comical note, the name of the author came to me when my mom called my little sister a "nosy Nancy" for butting in on her conversation. And so was born Nancy Syno. Another anagram for this piece just adds some more interesting touches, right?

**Omegle Chat**

This piece is probably one of my least favorites. I tried to make it as interesting as possible, but this movie/book comparison bores me. I don't regret doing the piece this way though. Omegle is a real site where you chat with strangers and sometimes get discussion questions to talk to your partner about. When I went back and tweaked this genre some, I realized I could use it to further insert Kairi in my story. I thought putting it in "text talk" was interesting, but Microsoft Word kept correcting it so it took awhile. In the end I'm satisfied with it and it served its purpose.

**Obituary**

I thought this piece was a great way to wrap up my paper. I wanted to conclude Kairi's final story from an outside source. It was a kind of epilogue that explained how Kairi fared in Japan. I added one of her hobbies as reading western fiction literature because she read Arthur Golden so I figured she'd continue reading. The obituary also mentions "The Golden Foundation" in honor of the author. Of course, I couldn't resist adding myself as future President of the United States as well. Finally, I added an original quote that furthered the theme about change and gave the paper a final uplifting feeling.


End file.
